Archive | October, 2011

a weekend with the Greens

October 14, 2011 at 2:53 am

Over the long weekend at home in Virginia we stayed at my parents’ house. That house was full of joy and people that weekend with my grandparents in town from St. Louis and my sisters home from the University of Virginia. My mom cooked up a feast on Saturday night and everyone came home for supper.

My sister Booie… er, Julia (those childhood nicknames!) made phenomenal chocolate torts with jam and fresh raspberries for dessert. I think I had three!

Lena got so much sibling love.

Snuggles from two (of her three, counting Elliott’s side) UVA aunties.

And so much love from her Grammie and her GG (Great-Grammie). Lena’s rocking on all fours these days, ready to crawl!

Emily Ericson, a friend of ours who lives in our basement, came up to do a family photo shoot later that evening. We’re all together… Elliott’s back from deployment, Lena is born, the girls are back from school, Eric came by for dinner, and my grandparents are visiting. Quite a feat!

The next morning, while my wonderful hubby let me sleep in, he and Lena visited with my grandparents before church. Lena’s wearing the dress my mom and I made for her before she was born.

My favorite!

Four generations of Palmer women. I remember taking a picture like this when I was about 10 and my GG was still alive. Now it’s Lena’s turn!

2 :: in family, home sweet home, Virginia, weekend

brunch @ the Garbers

October 12, 2011 at 4:37 pm

It’s a family tradition every time most of the kids are in town. Pick a weekend morning, gather for Mom Garber’s good cooking, pet the dog, admire Lena, talk about playing Settlers (but rarely actually do, poor Elliott), go for a walk, savor the season.

This time brunch was French toast and sausages on the grill.

Annie would like some, please.

The basement flooded during the recent rainstorms. Few good things come out of such a disaster, but occasionally old treasures are disinterred, such as a box of photographs from when all the older Garber kids were in middle and high school.

Afterwards Lena showed everyone how she’s almost able to crawl (hands and knees, rocks back and forth, sooo cute). She tried out her new pants from Aunt Eden, which are as darling as can be and even have reinforced knees for when Lena does start crawling!

When she got tired, she snuggled with her mommy.

We finished the morning with a walk around the block. Not much fall color yet, but it’s slowly seeping into the leaves.

Such a great family I married into!

1 :: in family, husband, Virginia, weekend

brunch @ the Garbers

October 12, 2011 at 3:37 pm

This time brunch was French toast and sausages on the grill.

Annie would like some, please.

When she got tired, she snuggled with her mommy.

We finished the morning with a walk around the block. Not much fall color yet, but it’s slowly seeping into the leaves.

Such a great family I married into!

1 :: in family, husband, Virginia, weekend

so good to be home!

October 11, 2011 at 5:43 pm

We arrived back in sweet Virginia on Friday for a long weekend with family. There are few places I love more than my parents’ living room with my sisters, brother, parents, hubby, and baby around me. Oh, and Sona, our 15-year-old (!) puppy, who somehow weaseled her way onto the rug… again.

For a few days, many members of our family were back together for just a little while. Emily and Julia back from college, Eric over for dinner after a long week of work, my grandparents in town to visit, Elliott reunited with everyone after his year-long deployment.* These moments are rare and precious, I realize now, and I treasure them. We belong together, yes, and we are family, but we’re all making our own roads into the world now, and none of my siblings live at home full-time anymore.

Now Elliott and I have our own little family with each other and Lena, and yet in the process of forming our own family, our parents and siblings have become more dear than ever. I’m already looking forward to Thanksgiving. And then to having all my family come visit us in Sicily over Christmas, too, and introducing them to our new lives across the Atlantic!

*Yes, Elliott’s deployment ended in July… but after a year away and missing out on these family gatherings, it always feels precious and unique to have him home again!

0 :: in family, Virginia, weekend

so good to be home!

October 11, 2011 at 4:43 pm

*Yes, Elliott’s deployment ended in July… but after a year away and missing out on these family gatherings, it always feels precious and unique to have him home again!